How to Keep Your Kids Safe From Cyberbullying

Inside: In this digital age, cyberbullying and online bullying has become more and more prevalent. Here’s what parents must know about cyberbullying before their tweens or teenagers get cyberbullied in order to keep them safe.

Get over it lady. The world is not a nice place and you should teach your kids that just as much.

This lady is an idiot and wants to be seen on tv so she can be famous and make her kid famous, but now, her kid will probably be laughed at for his mom’s stupidy and that’s sad (typo left in on purpose)

How I survived being cyberbullied:

And the nasty internet trolls found me. They called me every name in the book, and it was devastating.

So, after a few minutes, (okay an hour) of being completely horrified by it all, I started to self-soothe.

I turned to the people I trusted.

I went to family and friends and told them what happened. I asked for help, support, and love.

I walked away from my phone and computer and spent some quality time with people who value me.

But it made me realize tweens and teens who are cyberbullied don’t know how to do this. They don’t have the skills they need to self-soothe or find help when things get out of control online.

What is cyberbullying?

Before we can prepare our kids for how to deal with cyberbullying, we have to know what it is.

Bullying is intentional, deliberate and repeated aggressive actions that involve a real or perceived imbalance of power or control (ie: physical strength, popularity or the knowledge of embarrassing information).

Cyberbullying is when bullying occurs online in any form: texts, emails, or social media sites.

What every parent needs to do before their child is cyberbullied:

Explain to your tween and teens what cyberbullying is. Make sure they know what it is so they recognize it when it happens.

Discuss your intolerance of them cyberbullying other kids. If they won’t say the words to a peer’s face, they shouldn’t write it online.

When they know a classmate is being cyberbullied, they need to tell a trusted adult.

Make it clear if your child is targeted by cyberbullying, these words are not truth. Remind them they are loved. They are valued. And they are safe. Make sure they know to come to you, even if they’re embarrassed or scared or sad. Tell them, in no uncertain terms, you will help them. You will always help them. And spend extra time connecting with them emotionally.